Surgical table base construction for heat dissipation from housed power electronics

Abstract

Some embodiments described herein relate to a surgical table, specifically a base of a surgical table. The surgical table can be adapted to include and/or be coupled to a surgical robot. The base of the surgical table can form an enclosure including a cover and a bottom. Electronic components (e.g., power electronics associated with the surgical robot) can be disposed within the enclosure. In some embodiments described herein, the cover of the base of the surgical table can be constructed of aluminum or similar material having a thermal conductivity of at least 200 W/m K. In some embodiments described herein, a side wall of the base of the surgical table can be constructed of aluminum or similar material having a thermal conductivity of at least 200 W/m K. Other embodiments described herein describe various other solutions for thermal management of electronic components.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A base of a surgical table, comprising:
 a top having a first lobe, a second lobe, and an upper-middle portion disposed between the first lobe and the second lobe, the upper-middle portion having a width smaller than a width of the first lobe and a width of the second lobe; 
 a bottom having a third lobe disposed below the first lobe of the top defining a first volume of the base, a fourth lobe disposed below the second lobe of the top defining a second volume of the base, and a lower-middle portion disposed below the upper-middle portion of the top defining a middle volume of the base, the upper-middle portion of the top configured to be coupled to a column, the upper-middle portion inhibiting airflow between the first volume and the second volume; 
 a first power supply disposed in the first volume and configured to supply power to a first surgical robot; and 
 a second power supply disposed in the second volume and configured to supply power to a second surgical robot. 
 
     
     
       2. The base of the surgical table of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fan configured to move air between first volume and the second volume when a temperature of the first volume is greater than a temperature of the second volume. 
 
     
     
       3. The base of the surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein the top is constructed of a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 200 W/m K. 
     
     
       4. The base of the surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein the first power supply and the second power supply are from a plurality of electronic components, a first subset of the plurality of electronic components disposed in the first volume and a second subset of the plurality of electronics components disposed in the second volume, the first subset of electronics components configured to output a greater amount of heat than the second subset of electronics components, the apparatus further comprising:
 a fan configured to move air between the first volume and the second volume. 
 
     
     
       5. The base of the surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein the top is sealed to the bottom forming an airtight enclosure such that heat generated by the first power supply and the second power supply is not transferred to an outside of the base via convection. 
     
     
       6. The base of the surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein the first power supply is mounted to the bottom, the base of the surgical table further comprising:
 a heat transfer strip constructed of a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 350 W/m K, a first end portion of the heat transfer strip disposed between the first power supply and the bottom of the enclosure, a second end portion of the heat transfer strip coupled to the top.